San Diego BBB now posts complaints online

Move to provide additional content is part of transparency effort by consumer-rating group

In a major change from its old "black-box" business rating system, the San Diego Better Business Bureau is now posting detailed information on customer complaints about businesses and how they were resolved.

It joins a growing number of BBB chapters in the U.S. that in 2011 began opting to reveal more information about the factors that determine a business's BBB rating.

The San Diego organization maintains online business reviews about the reliability and conduct on more than 45,000 local businesses. The local BBB website, sandiego.bbb.org now contains:

Detailed information on consumer complaints

The response a business made to the complaint

Subsequent correspondence between the consumer, business and the BBB.

The names of customers who complain will still be kept confidential.

Here's an example of what you might see these days when you search for a local business. A San Diego dry cleaner had two complaints listed and an "A-" rating. One consumer complaint dated March 9, 2012, read:

Complaint: I took my clothes for cleaning. This cleaners messed up my expensive Moschino Jacket which I bought last year for $1000.00. I demand compensation of $500.00 or some sort of compensation. I will file lawsuit against this business if I'm not compensated for my loss.

Desired Settlement: I demand replacement of my Moschino Jacket, the same, or a payment of $500.00 for the damages arised from washing my jacket at that cleaners. I bought my jacket for $1000.00 last year.

Business Response: I apologize for the delay in responding to this letter. This regarding ID *. We already talked to the consumer about his jacket in January. He said that the jacket was fine once the down filling fluffed up. He also mentioned that he would contact the BBB and tell you that the matter was resolved. I did not realize that I had to respond with a written statement. Thank you.

BBB's Final Determination: Business resolved the complaint issues, but not within BBB's timeframe

Consumer-review sites such as Yelp.com, Angie's List and Kudzu routinely post detailed information from consumers, often identified by first name or by a nickname.

The BBB has set itself apart from consumer-rating sites because it issued businesses only a letter grade - such as "A," "B" or "F" - and general information about complaints that it said were painstakingly verified by staff members. Like other BBB chapters across the nation, the San Diego BBB is moving toward a more transparent system that shares some similarities with the consumer rating sites. Some important differences remain, however: The BBB still doesn't include favorable reviews of a business, and it doesn't include all complaints, only verified ones.

“We are very excited about this change that enhances the transparency and openness of our complaint handling process,” said Sheryl Bilbrey, San Diego BBB president/CEO. “Consumers who are checking on a business before a purchasing decision is made will now be able to read for themselves the verbatim details about a complaint and how the concerned business responded to that complaint."

In the past, the BBB's rating system was criticized because it gave a slight advantage to dues-paying members who took the time to become BBB accredited. The rating system has since been changed to remove that advantage.